These have begun to bloom in the last few days. Soon they will decorate the hillsides low on the mountains with large splashes of color. They are the largest wildflower blossoms in this area and grow in clumps resembling a large bouquet.
Today I hiked the first couple of miles of the Munson Creek trail (from about 2,400 ft elevation to about 3,400 ft elevation) to see how the winter treated it. It was in very good condition, with a sprinkling of wildflowers all along, but only of some of the early blooming species were blooming. It is a steep and rather rough trail that is well worth hiking later in the summer when the valley is hot and the trail is cool and when there are dozens of species of wildflowers in bloom (and I will return later to see them). Here are a few photos of the trail and the flower species now in bloom along that stretch.
In spite of a cold spring and below normal rainfall here in western Montana, the wildflowers are blooming, but about two weeks later than usual. This morning there was fresh snow on the mountainsides a thousand feet above the valley floor.
Western Gromwell, Lemonweed ~ Lithospermum ruderale
Western Serviceberry, Saskatoon ~ Amelanchier alnifolia
Field Pepperweed, Field Peppergrass or Pepperwort, Field Cress ~ Lepidium campestre
